Akuma
"You dare challenge ME?" —Akuma when first on the line-up '' " How absurd!" '' —Akuma's winning quote "It´s always fun to kill a god." '' '—''When Akuma & Thor are first on the line up Akuma, known in Japan as Gouki, is a video game character created by Capcom. Originally appearing in Super Street Fighter II Turbo as a secret character and hidden boss, he has red hair, wears prayer beads around his neck, and wears a black gi (occasionally displayed as blue in artwork). The kanji 'ten' (天) - meaning "sky", "heaven", or "providence" - can be seen on his back when it appears during certain win animations. Capcom had stated that the symbol on his back meant "immortal" for Akuma even though there are many different translations. He is voiced by Tomomichi Nishimura in many of the games in which he has appeared. Backstory Akuma and his brother Gouken were students of Goutetsu. Goutetsu taught a life-threatening martial art. He also taught Shun Goku Satsu (literally Instant Hell Murder or The Raging Demon), a death technique which, although incredibly powerful, puts the user in considerable danger. As the brothers progressed under Goutetsu's tutelage, a dispute arose on the true nature of their fighting style and the path to master it. Gouken, unable to accept the violent nature of their art, left Goutetsu to begin his own dojo. Akuma continued Goutetsu's teachings and vowed to use their fighting style as it was intended. In order to learn Shun Goku Satsu, Akuma embraced the principle of Satsui no Hadō or (The Surge of the Intent to Murder/Murderous Intent). Through Satsui no Hadō, Akuma was forced to give up any compassion he held towards other human beings. In addition, Akuma realized his limits as a martial artist could be expanded, and left Goutetsu's guidance to train alone. His return marked the end for Goutetsu - Akuma demonstrated his strength by killing his former master with Shun Goku Satsu. Goutetsu fell with an inner joy, realizing his pupil was attempting to master the Satsui no Hadou. Akuma removed the beaded necklace from Goutetsu's neck and placed it around his own. Sometime later, Akuma challenged and fought his brother. With Gouken gaining the upper hand, Akuma was eventually struck down. Akuma requested death in defeat, however his brother had no intention of killing him. Akuma, vowing to return, left Gouken. Years later, he returned; they fought again, and this time Gouken was thought to have been killed (SFIV states he performed a Soul Evacuation, which allowed him to survive the Shun Goku Satsu). Ken saw the battle as he was returning from the U.S. Martial Arts tournament. Rushing to the dojo to find it in shambles and his master dead, an enraged Ken ran into the surrounding woods searching for the killer. Akuma easily defeated Ken and disappeared. Gouken's other student Ryu soon learned of his master's death and began to search for Akuma. Several other renditions of the Street Fighter story talk of Ryu finding Gouken's body (after falling to Akuma), who then travels the world to find Akuma. These renditions also talk of Ryu's potential to harness "Satsui no Hadō", giving him the ability to transform into Evil Ryu (first found in Street Fighter Alpha 2). Akuma began to search the globe looking for worthy fighters to challenge. Secluding himself in the shadows, he watched small tournaments and street fights, desperately seeking someone who might be able to match his strength. He was eventually challenged by a man named Gen. Gen fought a vicious battle. He had even survived the Shun Goku Satsu by emptying his soul in time. Akuma began to wonder if this man was the worthy opponent he was searching for. However, he began to sense not all was as it seemed and when Gen's mouth began to bleed Akuma's suspicions were confirmed, his opponent was sick, and the fight was not fair. After being knocked to the ground, Gen told Akuma to kill him. Not wanting to carry the fight on any longer, Akuma left, infuriating Gen. After the fight, Akuma became obsessed with Ryu and awakened the "Dark Intent". Ryu eventually found Akuma's island (known as Onigami Isle or the Gokuentou) and challenged him. The intense battle that followed ended in a draw; Akuma was impressed as this was the closest he had come to a defeat yet. Telling Ryu to find him again when he had embraced the Satsui no Hadō, Akuma struck his island with a powerful blow and disappeared. The island fell apart around Ryu, who was left in the ocean to contemplate Akuma's words. Leaving his destroyed abode, Akuma thought about all the fighters he had encountered and wondered with excitement if one day he would fight someone strong enough to kill him in battle. This thought drove him on, finding a desolate cavern (also known as Kiga Cave) he began to train and await the day he would fight Ryu again. Two years later, Akuma began to search once more for worthy fighters whilst awaiting Ryu to embrace the Satsui no Hadō. He could have possibly fought Adon at this time and killed him (as Adon had been searching for Akuma, yet was never heard from again). He encountered Gen once more and fought a final battle (the results of which are still unclear). However, unknown to Akuma, Ryu had rejected the Satsui no Hadō, declaring that a true warrior does not rely on violent intents. Akuma did not officially enter the second World Warrior tournament. He jumped into M. Bison's arena and performed a Shun Goku Satsu on Bison, killing him, and sending his soul to hell. As with the second World Warrior tournament, Akuma did not enter the third World Warrior tournament, but once more lurked in the shadows. He even successfully pulled off a Shun Goku Satsu on the tournament sponsor Gill, although he left without realizing that Gill had resurrected himself. Over this timespan, Akuma had trained relentlessly until finally harnessing his power and learning several new techniques, some that were meant to create tidal waves, some described as strong enough to split Ayers Rock in half, and one that could kill an opponent with a single strike. Akuma's self-taught technique is called the Kongō Kokuretsu Zan, in which Akuma channels all his power into one hand and smashes it into the ground, creating a vortex of energy upward around him. It is supposedly this technique that was used to destroy his original training ground (mentioned above), although this is mainly conjecture as he is not shown using this move until the 3rd World Warrior tournament, where he discovered that Gouken was still alive. Akuma continued to develop his now-incredible fighting skill, and even fought with Oro in a simple, inconclusive battle, each other sensing the other's massive chi and testing their powers. Akuma has now demonstrated the ability to remain underwater under massive pressure for extended periods of time, and has even managed to destroy a naval submarine with a technique that he has dubbed Tenshō Kaireki Jin. In Game Story He seems to be "working" with Doctor Doom and his army of villains. However, his true desire is to challenge a planeteater, Galactus, himself. Ending Even a world eater has proven to be an unsatisfying opponent... There is no one... I have no rivals here. It would be futile to wait for one to appear. The constraints of this world are no longer of concern to me. I will go to the fight instead of waiting for it. I will find an opponent who will at last provide the challenge I crave... Gameplay Attacks *'Shakunetsu Hadouken (Scorching Heat Surge Fist) -' Fires a burning ball of flaming ki from his palms, but has a bit of delay before he tosses it. *'Zankuu Hadouken (Cutting'-'Air Surge Fist)' - Fires a ki blast from a single hand in midair. *'Tenma Kuujinkyaku (Evil Spirit Air Blade Kick) -' Akuma/Gouki performs a dive kick at the apex of his jump, it is often a command normal that only done during a foward jump although in the MVC series, Akuma/Gouki has it as a special move. *'Ashura Senkuu (Fighting Demon's Flashing Air)' - Akuma/Gouki with great ki control, phases through his opponent, can warp left of right. *'Hyakki Shuu (Hundred Demons Assault) - '''Akuma/Gouki's flying variable move, takes a small leap and is able to perform these moves to mixup is opponents when applying pressure.... *'Hyakki Gouzan (Hundred Demons Powerful Slash) -''' When Akuma/Gouki inputs nothing during the Hyakki Shuu, he lands with a low-hitting sweeping slide kick. Now has purple fire effects that apply to all Hyakki Shuu follow-ups. *'Hyakki Gousai/Goushou (Hundred Demons Powerful Smash/Powerful Pierce) -' Akuma/Gouki pierce punches the opponent during the Hyakki Shuu. Hits overhead. *'Hyakki Goujin (Hundred Demons Powerful Blade) - '''Dive kick attack. Basically a Hyakki Shuu version of Tenma Kuujinkyaku. Hits overhead. *'Hyakki Gou Tsui''' (Hundred Demons Powerful Crash) -''' Midair throw attack, can be performed if opponent jumps next to Akuma/Gouki or when he falls near them to piledrive them with a smash on the foe's head on Akuma/Gouki's knee. Used as a tick throw if opponent gets to defensive on the other follow ups. Supports *α (Projectile) Gou Hadouken (Strong Surge Fist) - Thrusting his palms forward, Akuma releases a purple ki projectile towards his opponent. Said to be the 'original' Hadouken. *β (Anti-Air) Gou Shouryuuken (Strong Rising Dragon Fist) -''' A multi-hitting rising uppercut in a spiraling motion. Said to be the 'original' Shouryuuken. *'γ' (Expansion) Tatsumaki Zankuukyaku (Tornado Cutting-Air Leg) -''' A spinning kick through midair. Has lightning effects and can be done during a jump to zip across. Hyper Combos *'Messatsu Gou Hadou (Annihilating Strong Surge) (Level 1) -' Akuma/Gouki fires a flaming beam of ki from his palms. If one very closely looks at his MVC3 trailer, it appears that the Tenma Gou Zankuu and Messatsu Gou Hadou are interchanged between each other, with both moves being switches around from their functions. Reason for change is unknown. *'Tenma Gou Zankuu (Evil Spirit Strong Cutting-Air) (Level 1) '- Akuma/Gouki jumps and shoots many Zankuu Hadoukens out of his hands. In MVC3, Akuma/Gouki instead fires a Messatsu Gou Hadou downward instead as Akuma/Gouki for Messatsu Gou Hadou instead fires large streams of ki blasts instead. *'''Messatsu Gou Shouryuu (Annihilating Strong Rising Dragon) (Level 1)'' -'' Akuma/Gouki peforms multiple Gou Shouryuukens on the opponent, burning them. A stronger version of Ken Masters' Shouryuu Reppa(Rising Dragon Rending Breaker). *'Messatsu Gou Rasen (Annihilating Strong Spiral) (Level 1)' - A upward-rising Tatsumaki Zankuukyaku that sucks in the opponent. Appears in SFIII and MVC2. *'Messatsu Gou Senpuu (Annihilating Strong Whirlwind) (Level 1) -' A midair version of Messatsu Gou Rasen, appears in SFIII and MVC2. *'Shun Goku Satsu (Instant Hell Murder) (Level 3) ''- Trademark super. Akuma/Gouki poses then warps via Ashura Senkuu towards the opponent to grab them. The screen flashes with light and violent strikes are seen 'as the might of the 16 hells bombard the foe' while the screen is blacked out. Akuma/Gouki and the opponent reappear, with the opponent face-down on the ground covered in violet flames and the kanji character for 'heaven' is burning in the background(this happens of the opponent is K.O.ed from the attack). This move is unblockable in all appearances and now happens much faster than in previous installments that include Akuma/Gouki. Akuma's 2 projectile Hyper moves seem to have different versions of one another. One form of the hyper combos has Akuma repeatedly firing normal sized (or slightly larger) fireballs in a somewhat larger range of the screen, while the other functions more like Ryu's Shinkuu Hadouken, firing a single large beam at the opponent. It also functions as a counter move (it can interupt hyper combos). Theme Song 'thumb|left|300px ' Akuma's theme song is a remix of his secret boss fight from his first appearance in '''Super Street Fighter II Turbo. Trivia *Recently, there was a picture of Akuma and Ryu found in the background of the Hand HQ stage. It was originally thought it was just an Easter Egg, or that it could be a leak at his inclusion. Now he has been confirmed, it could work in the same style as Tron Bonne in the background of the Kattelox Island stage, where Akuma won't appear when he is being used by either player. *Akuma is most likely rivaled with Taskmaster, as they were confirmed at the same time. Reasons for this could be that they are both skilled fighters practicing multiple fighting arts, but their tastes in fighting differ: Akuma enjoys a challenge but Taskmaster will usually try to avoid battles he knows he cannot win. Also, both are neutral characters but are often thought of as evil. They also have a "copy" theme going between them and characters of their respectivee franchises. It is taken into account that Akuma is a shoto-clone and fights extremely similar to Ryu and Ken of Street Fighter fame. Taskmaster has the power of "photographic reflex", enabling him to imitate the moves of other Marvel characters, especially Hawkeye, Punisher, Black Knight, Captain America and Spider-Man who he mimics in the game. *In Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Akuma is reprised by Dave Mallow, who voiced him in Street Fighter IV '''and '''Super Street Fighter IV '''in English. In Japanese, Akuma is reprised by '''Taketora. *Before Akuma absored the Satsui no Hadō, his apperance looked similar to Ryu. *He is one of four unlockable characters in the game, along with Sentinel, Hsien-Ko, and Taskmaster. To unlock Akuma, players must obtain 2,000 Player Points through playing any of the game's modes (Arcade, Story, Online, Missions, etc.). *Akuma is one of the sub bosses before fighting Galactus. The other sub bosses are Doctor Doom, Albert Wesker and Dormammu. However you only fight 2 of them and they are randomly chosen. *Akuma's ending features him noting that no one else is left to rival him on Earth and prepares to journey through the galaxy to find a worthy challenger, leaving behind the unconscious bodies of Ryu, Wolverine, Captain America, and Chun-Li. Artwork MarCap2Akuma.JPG|Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes Cyber Akuma.JPG|Cyber-Akuma Akuma1.png|Street Fighter IV XMvsSFAkuma.JPG|X-Men vs. Street Fighter. Cybergouki stance.gif|Cyber-Akuma Sprite MarSFAkuma.JPG|Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter Akuma breathe.gif Category:MvC3 Characters Category:Neutral Alignment Category:Evil Alignment Category:MvC2 Characters Category:Street Fighter Characters Category:Capcom Characters Category:Characters